The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) is set to launch a film society in the name of the first woman actor of Malayalam cinema P.K. Rosy.
Rosy belonged to the Dalit community and was persecuted and forced to leave the region just because she acted in the silent film Vigathakumaran, the first Malayalam feature film, produced in 1928.
WCC stance
Naming the society after Rosy is an attempt to take note of all those who have been excluded from dominant cinema histories and have been brought to light by many a scholar, historian and activist, a statement from the WCC said.
“Our logo invokes Rosy visually and has been designed by the Mumbai-based designer Zoya Riyas. The P.K. Rosy Film Society is an endeavour from our side to establish a viewing space for cinema, which has often been an all-male space. Headed and run by an all ciswomen/transwomen panel, we aim at showcasing, discussing, and celebrating women filmmakers, women film professionals, and feminist cinema aesthetics,” the statement said.
The collective also expressed hope that the society would serve as a democratic platform to enable discussions on cinema and contribute to a discourse on contemporary cinema aesthetics.